Concise, readable, and expert advice for collecting and analyzing software requirements. Wiegers presents a palette of best practices for collecting, validating and managing software requirements, together with examples of their successful application to real-world projects. This is one of the few pragmatic resources on this topic.
"Requirements" are essential for creating successful software because they let users and developers agree on what features will be delivered in new systems. Karl Wiegers'
Software Requirements shows you how to define and get more out of software requirements with dozens of "best practices" and tips that make this book a valuable resource for both software project managers and developers.
The book's common-sense approach provides exemplary project management skills tailored to gathering (and refining, implementing and eventually tracking) software requirements. While the book often cites recent software engineering studies, the focus always returns to practical management techniques. A case study for a chemical tracking application frames the book, and most chapters begin with anecdotes that demonstrate situations in which users and developers fail to comprehend each other about a software project's ultimate goals. (If you've ever worked in the field, these stories will probably sound all too familiar.)
This book offers hope, though, for improving your software design process with dozens of tips on getting better design input from your customers and then using these requirements to generate a variety of design documents. There are numerous "templates" and sample documents, too--a big help for the busy software manager.
Several standout sections here cover negotiating difficult steps in the process, particularly how to manage shifting requirements as projects move forward and keeping the various users and stakeholders contented throughout the software process. Late in the book, the author surveys today's software management tools and shows how to pick the right ones for your organisation.
Anchored by the author's considerable experience and software engineering expertise, this jargon-free and practical guide to software requirements can definitely give you the edge in managing software projects more efficiently. --Richard Dragan
Topics covered: software requirements specifications (SRS), business and user requirements, risk management, the requirements process, sample documents and templates, requirements development: elicitation, analysis, specification and verification, rights and responsibilities for software customers, best practices, project management tips, process assessment and improvement, types of users, product champions, use cases and other diagrams, tips for prototyping, managing requirements change, change centred boards (CCBs), evaluating and using requirements tools, requirements traceability matrix, impact analysis.
